2024 IU Football Position Preview: Secondary

The new look IU Football defense under defensive coordinator Bryant Haines has emphasized the importance of rushing the passer. It’s been the identity of the defense since Haines became the defensive coordinator at James Madison under Curt Cignetti.

He’s not looking to change that identity as he wants to get after the passer early and often with Indiana.

While that identity might seem focused on the front seven, Haines has emphasized the importance of the secondary when it comes to rushing the passer.

“We believe in manipulating angles, we do certain stunts and things like that. I’m also a big fan of tying in the back end, too,” Haines said during fall camp. “If I can show a picture to a quarterback that is deceptive, it adds to his clock in terms of identifying what we’re in. I tell the guys all the time, each tenth of a second that we add to his plate is another tenth of a second for Lanell Carr, Mikail Kamara, and James Carpenter to get home. It’s all about full 11 buy-in.”

The play of the secondary is going to be extremely important to the success of IU Football in 2024.

More IU Football Position Previews: Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Offensive Line, Defensive Line, Linebacker

Defensive Back Room

Dontrae Henderson Fr. 5-11 180

Bryson Bonds R-Jr. 6-0 199

Amare Ferrell So. 6-2 200

Reece Bellin R-Fr. 6-1 200 

Jaz Boykin R-Fr. 6-0 178

Luke Haupert R-Fr. 6-0 178

Anthony Chung R-Fr. 6-1 193

Aaron Stewart R-So. 5-10 183

Clay Conner R-Fr. 6-4 209

Heath Kizer Fr. 6-1 202

Lincoln Murff R-Fr. 5-10 180

Indiana added some key additions to the secondary but none bigger than D’Angelo Ponds

Indiana University’s D’Angelo Ponds (5) runs during fall practice at the Mellencamp Pavilion at Indiana University on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. © Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Top 2 Corners

D’Angelo Ponds

Ponds was the biggest addition to the secondary IU Football added this offseason he should slot into the number one corner spot immediately.

Despite being on the smaller side at 5-foot-9 170 pounds, he was able to make an immediate impact in 2023 with James Madison.

Ponds played in 13 games last season, starting in the final ten, and was dominant for the Dukes. He finished eleventh nationally in passes defended with 15 and was named to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America team.

“I don’t know if we’ve beat him yet on a pass route,” Cignetti told reporters during fall camp. “He’s just swallowed up that side of the field. He’s a good guy to everybody else to watch in terms of how to do it.”

Despite going up a strong receiver core, Ponds has been dominant during camp.

The way Haines and Cignetti run their defense, they put a lot of pressure on the cornerbacks to be great, and Ponds has lived up to the task.

RELATED: After ‘no-brainer’ decision to join IU football, D’Angelo Ponds earning early praise from Curt Cignetti

“The way the scheme is set up, the corners are really on an island. So that’s why it’s big on technique,” Ponds said. “If you don’t trust your technique on an island and you’re by yourself, you’re literally by yourself. So you gotta trust your technique.

Ponds is a playmaker in every sense and will be relied on heavily as a true sophomore.

Jamari Sharpe

On the opposite side of the field, Jamari Sharpe is expected to start at corner for Indiana. As a redshirt freshman, Sharpe appeared in every game for IU Football and made nine starts.

He made 22 total tackles, including at least one tackle in the final eleven games. Sharpe also had two pass breakups to go with one interception in 2023.

He’s one of the faster guys in the secondary, and at 6-foot-1 he has the size to match up against some of the bigger receivers in the conference.

As sophomores, Sharpe and Ponds will form one of the younger cornerback duos in college football and we’ll have to meet the challenge, especially against opponents like Ohio State and Michigan.

Safeties

The safety position is a lot less clear for IU Football as multiple guys have experience playing both safety positions and should see the field.

The question marks surrounding who starts at each safety spot will likely be answered closer to the season as there are a few guys who should see snaps at the position.

Josh Sanguinetti

Sanguinetti is the most experienced player in the secondary as he heads into his sixth season. He’s played in 39 career games with IU Football and has made six starts.

Sanguinetti will likely play his biggest role for Indiana in 2024 as he, Nic Toomer, and DJ Warnell Jr. compete for snaps at the safety spot.

He has proven to be a ball hawk in the secondary, with four interceptions and eight pass breakups during his career. Now that he is expected to see more snaps, he will have the opportunity to improve those numbers in his final season of college football.

Nic Toomer

Nic Toomer could easily start for IU football and it would surprise no one. He will play and see the field, the question is how much?

After transferring from Stanford, he played in eight games and started seven (he missed four due to injuries) for Indiana in 2023.

Toomer made an immediate impact with an interception in his second game for the Hoosiers. On the year he finished with 26 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack, and three pass breakups.

Toomer can play multiple positions in the secondary and will see the field for Indiana in 2024.

DJ Warnell Jr.

Warnell Jr. is another guy who could wind up starting at strong safety for IU Football this season after transferring from Arizona this offseason.

He appeared in all 13 games for Arizona in 2o23 and made 15 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and three sacks.

Warnell Jr. began his career at UCLA before transferring to Arizona ahead of the 2022 season.

At 6-foot-3, he is on the bigger side of the safety position and will have a role for an Indiana secondary that emphasizes versatility in 2024.

Shawn Asbury II

Shawn Asbury II is expected to slot into the strong safety spot on Haines’ defense. Asbury II transferred to IU Football from Old Dominion this offseason. He started his career at Boston College before transferring after his freshman season.

Asbury II has played in 30 games during his career with 15 starts.

Last season he was named a Sun Belt Honorable Mention after making 93 tackles including six tackles for loss. He also had four pass breakups and an interception in 12 games.

Asbury II was graded as the ninth highest-rated defensive transfer in college football according to Pro Football Focus.

With one year of eligibility left, Asbury II returns to the Power Four looking to make an impact for IU Football.

Amare Ferrell

At the ROVER (hybrid role of safety and linebacker) sophomore Amare Ferrell is expected to start for Indiana.

Ferrell played in all 12 games last season but was a rotational player only making nine tackles during the year.

The 6-foot-2 defensive back says he learned a lot from playing as a freshman last season.

“It’s been really beneficial. Last year just seeing the field as a freshman, coming in I was seeing things I had never seen before,” Ferrell said during fall camp. “This year, I see things and I can play faster.”

Ferrell is a versatile player which has led to him playing the ROVER role due to his ability to do multiple things on the field. Versatility has been emphasized by the coaches and Ferrell has reiterated that point this fall.

“Coach (Adams and Ojong) has talked to us about versatility, not just one player, just playing one position,” he said. “Everybody can play every position, high safety, in the box, high rover, whatever you want to call it. Everybody has to be versatile.”

Ferrell will have a lot of responsibility as a sophomore and will have to grow fast as he fills an important role on the Indiana defense.

Other Impact Players

Jamier Johnson

Jamier Johnson transferred to Indiana from Texas ahead of the 2023 season and missed eight games with an injury in his first season.

He has appeared in only 21 games during his college career and will look to make more of an impact with IU Football.

Johnson was originally a four-star prospect but has not lived up to the high expectations thus far. He made some plays in the spring game and should see playing time as potentially the third or fourth corner for Indiana.

JoJo Johnson

JoJo Johnson is the other cornerback on the roster that should see the field for IU Football.

Johnson began his career at Notre Dame, before moving to Iowa Western Community College and then transferring to Indiana ahead of the 2023 season.

He played in all 12 games but played mostly as a rotational piece. He made 12 total tackles and had a pass breakup as a sophomore. Heading into 2024, he is expected to compete for snaps behind Ponds and Sharpe and should appear in all 12 games once again.

Terry Jones Jr.

Like Shawn Asbury II, Jones Jr. comes to Indiana from Old Dominion after an All-Sun Belt honorable-mention in 2023.

He appeared in all 12 games with 11 starts and made 107 total tackles for ODU. He also added four tackles for loss, four pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

In 40 career games with Old Dominion, Jones Jr. made 241 total tackles. Jones Jr. has played the ROVER position and will battle with Ferrell for snaps at the position ahead of the 2024 season.

SEE ALSO: New Indiana football coordinators followed Curt Cignetti because of culture and trust. Now, they feel ‘something special happening’.

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